j compton creative

The Studio

2011-11-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

I spent a lot of time in my studio this weekend, getting ready for the Indie Knit & Spin next Saturday. It is both exciting and daunting getting prepared for this. So far, my art, my crafting, has all either been for myself, for charity or kept low key and not too extremely public. On Saturday I venture into the world of craft fairs and putting what I do out there in a different way than I have before. Eek!

Since I've spent so much time alone in the studio lately I thought it would be fun to share a look at the studio itself. It's a cozy room on the third floor of our house, painted a cheery yellow and complete with both the dogs and the obligatory tin of doggie treats. This is where it happens for me. It is my retreat space, my create space, my time with Mom space. There is a great deal of me in it. Enjoy!

Felted Pin Cushions and Retirement

2011-11-09T14:38:00.001-05:00

I've never believed that my art had to have a practical purpose beyond being enjoyed by the viewer or allowing me the total abandon I can achieve when I am in the act of creating. Occasionally, I get the questions: "Yea, but what is it for?" I am always dumbfounded by the question. It is art. Period.

I have reached the point in my life, however, when I can see retirement approaching and thoughts of how to support myself in retirement looms right alongside. "Art!!", my heart cries! And my head says, "Not practical." Again, the practicality of art is a question. Giving thought to how to make art and make it be practical enough to supplement retirement.

My friend, Emily Eckel, looks to button making and perhaps woodworking. Art. Yet practical.

I felt. I felt dolls. Art! But Practical? Hmmm, maybe not. Felted Pin Cushions? Maybe worth exploring. I will need more ideas. Please toss me your thoughts. In the meantime, wanna buy a handmade, felted pin cushion?

Indie Knit and Spin

2011-10-28T07:46:00.007-04:00

See me at the Indie Knit and Spin on Saturday November 19 from 11 to 5 at the Wilkins School Community Center in Regent Square, 7604 Charleston Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218.

There will be lots of fabulous yarn, fiber and all the other must-have items that fiber artists just can't live without! I'll have some felting kits as well as some felted soaps. Stop by and say hello! Check out the blog at http://indieknitandspin.wordpress.com/ to read about the other vendors. Don't miss it!

WIP: Victor Heard Something Scary from the Closet...

2011-09-16T16:42:00.002-04:00

I get together every week with two other doll artists, Emily Eckel and Chris Fondi. Once a month we meet for an entire day, sometime working on a preassigned subject or medium. This month we decided to tackle paper clay. While I have worked a fair bit with polymer clay, I've only worked with paper clay once. This would be stepping outside of my comfort zone a good bit. (I took a workshop with Susie MacMahon at AFIC 2011 in Columbus OH. Susie is fabulous and if you get the chance to take a class with her, don't pass it up!). So I packed up and went to Em's a week or so ago, armed with paper clay, tools, and a sketch book. I had sketched out Victor and his sister Wilhelmina a week earlier and made them the subject of my paper clay day. This is a work in progress photo of Victor. He is drying comfortably in Emily's studio alongside his sister, hoping not to hear any more scary noises.

Decay of Society

2011-09-12T16:48:00.019-04:00

More than just a few moons ago, I posted this doll on my old blog. These are updated photos of "Decay of Society". She is a mixed media experiment using techniques for various artist mediums. A little scary looking! Her emaciated and ragged looks make me think of where we may go in our world if we don't all pull together for peace and justice. I created Decay at the 2009 Artistic Figures in Cloth in a class taught by Cody Goodin. She is about 15" tall and is made of all sorts of found objects including animal bones, antique darts, buttons, beads and cheesecloth.

Angry - A study in mixed media and emotions

2011-08-28T18:55:00.001-04:00

I make no secret of the fact that I have been a long time sufferer of depression. Once I made my way though a few rounds of therapy, started receiving a good course of meds and began feeling better, I realized that depression shouldn't be kept a secret. I talk about it out loud and, when I can, encourage others who suffer that depression is nothing to be ashamed of. I also occasionally make a doll that depicts my journey with and through it. I have discovered that art is a way into and back out of the tangled web of emotions that can't properly be processed while you are in the grip of the disease.
"Angry" is a recent work in felt and rust. I began her when the idea of combining needle felted wool with rusty found objects became alluring. Little did I know when I started that it would lead into exploring pent up, unspoken angers, left over remnants of ages of depression. I won't describe what she says to me. I'll leave that to the viewer. She isn't pretty but neither are anger and depression.
Angry is comprised of Corriedale and Alpaca Fiber, rusty odds & ends a nd stabds about 18" tall, including her wooden base.

William Wild Hare

2011-08-28T18:04:00.003-04:00

In April, I attended the Artist Figures in Cloth (AFIC) convention in Columbus, Ohio. AFIC is held bi-annually and is a wonderful gathering of doll makers from all over the world. This was my second trip. Every year, Cyndy Seiving, the conference owner, provides an opportunity for doll makers who attend to compete in a challenge. She never fails to come up with something different and unique and this year was no exception. The theme this year was "Look, Ma, No Doll Stand", creating a doll with no "visible means of support", to quote an old lingerie commercial! I was surprised, delighted and incredibly flattered that my needle felted entry, William Wild Hare, received 3rd place! William is felted from merino and corridale wools, has wooden wheels and sports a carrot laden satchel. My technique in creatng him was a combination of needle felting followed by wet felting and re-shaping. I hope you enjoy him.

Welcome to j compton creative

2011-08-23T16:12:00.003-04:00

After blogging about my creative pursuits for a number of years at Dooflinky Dolls & Designs, I've decided it was time for a new look and a change of focus. Dooflinky was my first foray into blogging. In it, I rather casually explored my re-entry into the creative world after a self imposed absence of many years. I had sent my inner artist into hiding. Would she come back into the light.? as I truly creative? Was I an artist? Could I own my place in the creative world? It's taken me a long time to come to it but I believe the answers are all, "Yes"!

So a huge "Thank You" to those who have followed along at Dooflinky, and a big welcome to j compton creative. I anticipate this blog to be the next, perhaps more serious, chapter of my creative life. Please pull up a chair, bring along a cup of whatever and join me on the journey! And most of all, feel free to chime and comment when the spirit moves you.